Chapter 36 - Eli's Secret
The first officer crashed through the side window as Mercer burst through the front door.
"Police! Drop it!"
The man behind the doorway raised his weapon, but Reeves struck his arm before he could fire. The gun hit the floor. Eli threw himself sideways exactly as Arthur had hoped, rolling beneath an old table while Mercer tackled the man in the dark coat against the wall.
The struggle lasted less than ten seconds.
Both suspects were restrained.
Eli crawled out from beneath the table, shaking but alive.
Arthur stepped inside slowly.
"You did well," he said.
Eli wiped his face with his sleeve.
"I remembered what you said."
"What did I say?"
"Truth survives better when it has witnesses."
Arthur's expression softened.
"So you watched."
Eli nodded and reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small plastic recorder no larger than a toy.
"I took it from the lady at the station. I thought... if they grabbed me, maybe I could record them."
Mercer stared at the boy.
"You recorded the kidnapping?"
Eli nodded.
"And the van. And them talking."
The room went silent.
One of the suspects twisted angrily against his cuffs.
"You little—"
Mercer shoved him back into the chair.
"Finish that sentence and you'll regret it."
Arthur accepted the recorder carefully.
"May I?"
Eli nodded.
Arthur pressed play.
Static crackled.
Then voices emerged.
"...the boy doesn't know what his mother carried."
Another voice answered.
"Doesn't matter. Hale will know once we mention Elena."
Then the first voice said something that made Arthur's face turn completely still.
"The Founder says the Warren woman hid the original list before she died."
Eli's lips parted.
"My mom?"
Arthur looked at Mercer.
This changed everything again.
Eli was not a random witness.
His mother had been connected to Elena Hale.
And somewhere, before her death, she had hidden a list important enough for the Founder to risk exposing his own people.
Mercer crouched in front of Eli.
"Do you know anything your mother left behind?"
Eli shook his head, then stopped.
His eyes lowered to the floor.
"She gave me something," he whispered. "But my aunt said never to show anyone."
Arthur asked gently, "What was it?"
Eli looked at him with fear and hope mixed together.
May you like
"A music box."
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